Hamilton County, Tennessee

County in TN, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

376,192

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

39.5

years ∙ half population younger than 39.5, half older

Diversity Index

49.6%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

6.6%

foreign-born population

93.4%Native

6.6% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Hamilton County is a county in Tennessee, United States.

Location

County in TN, US

Co-ordinates

DEC35.163472° N, 85.201843° W

DMS35° 09′ 48.50″ N, 85° 12′ 06.63″ W

Population Density & area

693.8/sq mi (267.9/km²)

Total Area

575.7 sq mi (1,491 km²)

Land Area

542.2 sq mi (1,404.2 km²) · 94.2%

Water Area

33.5 sq mi (86.8 km²) · 5.8%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

48.5% male

Male 48.5%

Female 51.5%

males per 100 females

Hamilton County 94.2

Tennessee 96.4

United States 98

Nativity

6.6%

foreign-born population

93.4%Native

6.6% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Hamilton County 6.6%

Tennessee 6.1%

United States 14.1%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

39.5

years ∙ half population younger than 39.5, half older

Hamilton County

39.5

Tennessee

38.9

United States

38.9

Dependency ratio

65.1

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Hamilton County 65.1

Tennessee 64.6

United States 64.4

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Hamilton County	Tennessee	United States
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	21.1%	22.2%	22%
Working age (18-64)	60.5%	60.7%	60.8%
Senior (65+)	18.4%	17.1%	17.2%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	65.1	64.6	64.4
Child dependency ratio	34.8	36.5	36.1
Old-age dependency ratio	30.3	28.1	28.3

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

68.3%

Black

16.9%

Asian

2.1%

Hispanic

Other

4.7%

Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

49.6%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Hamilton County 49.6%

Tennessee 46.5%

United States 61.4%

Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity

Percentage of Hamilton County population

	Hamilton County	Tennessee	United States
Hispanic or Latino	8%	7.4%	19.3%
Mexican	3.2%	3.8%	11.3%
Puerto Rican	0.6%	0.6%	1.8%
Cuban	0.3%	0.3%	0.8%
Other Hispanic / Latino	4%	2.7%	5.5%
Not Hispanic or Latino	92%	92.6%	80.7%
One race	87.9%	88.9%	76.4%
White	68.3%	71%	57.4%
Black or African American	16.9%	15.4%	11.9%
American Indian and Alaska Native	0.1%	0.1%	0.5%
Asian	2.1%	1.9%	5.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0%	0.1%	0.2%
Some Other Race	0.5%	0.4%	0.6%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	4.1%	3.7%	4.3%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

62.6% family

Family 62.6%

Non family 37.4%

% family households

Hamilton County 62.6%

Tennessee 64.2%

United States 64.2%

Average household size

2.38

persons per household

Hamilton County

2.38

Tennessee

2.45

United States

2.53

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Hamilton County population

	Hamilton County	Tennessee	United States
Total households	154,181	2,824,277	129,227,496
Average houshold size	2.38	2.45	2.53
Family households	96,531	1,813,072	82,990,528
Average family size	2.98	3.04	3.14
Married couple family	71,183	1,321,068	60,637,388
Other families	25,348	492,004	22,353,140
Male householder	6,541	135,443	6,572,819
Female householder	18,807	356,561	15,780,321
Non-family households	57,650	1,011,205	46,236,968
One-person households	46,835	832,106	37,140,836
Male householder	20,490	377,158	16,871,444
Senior (65+) living alone	6,417	115,070	5,225,110
Female householder	26,345	454,948	20,269,392
Senior (65+) living alone	12,639	220,217	10,089,070
Other living arrangements	10,815	179,099	9,096,132

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

168,013

housing units

Hamilton County 168,013

Tennessee 3,143,670

United States 143,775,355

Occupancy status

91.8% occupied

Occupied 91.8%

Vacant 8.2%

vacancy rate

Hamilton County 8.2%

Tennessee 10.2%

United States 10.1%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

72%

Single family houses

72%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

24.8%

Mobile homes

3.1%

Boat, RV, van, etc

0.1%

Median Year Built

1982

Half of houses were built before 1982, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

8.6%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

25.7%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

36.8%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

28.9%

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Hamilton County	Tennessee	United States
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	5.7	5.7	5.5
1–3 rooms	12.1%	11%	15.1%
4–6 rooms	51.4%	53.7%	51.6%
7+ rooms	36.6%	35.4%	33.4%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	1.9%	1.7%	2.9%
1 bedroom	9.7%	8.2%	10.9%
2 bedrooms	26.2%	24.5%	25%
3 bedrooms	39.5%	45.2%	38.7%
4+ bedrooms	22.7%	20.4%	22.4%
At a glance
Median year built	1982	1988	1981
Total housing units	168,013	3,143,670	143,775,355

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

63.9% owners

Renter-occupied 36.1%

Owner-occupied 63.9%

homeownership rate

Hamilton County 63.9%

Tennessee 66.9%

United States 65.2%

Average household size

2.48

Owner-occupied

2.2

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Hamilton County 2.48

Tennessee 2.53

United States 2.64

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Hamilton County	Tennessee	United States
Total occupied units	154,181	2,824,277	129,227,496
Year moved in
2020 or later	28.9%	26.2%	24.8%
2010 to 2019	39.4%	39.4%	39.6%
2000 to 2009	14.1%	15.7%	16.4%
1999 or earlier	17.6%	18.8%	19.1%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	98.4%	97.8%	96.6%
1.01 to 1.50	1.2%	1.5%	2.2%
1.51 or more	0.4%	0.6%	1.2%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	5.8%	5.2%	8.4%
1 vehicle	32%	30.9%	33.1%
2 vehicles	39.2%	38%	36.6%
3 or more vehicles	23%	25.9%	21.9%
House heating fuel used
Gas	31.6%	34.1%	51.4%
Electricity	67.6%	63.7%	41.3%
Solar	0%	0%	0.3%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	0.2%	0.3%	3.9%
All other fuels	0.1%	1.3%	2%
No fuel used	0.4%	0.5%	1.2%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	0.2%	0.3%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	0.6%	0.8%	0.8%
No telephone service available	0.5%	1%	0.9%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$312,800

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Hamilton County

$312,800

Tennessee

$286,700

United States

$332,700

Housing Cost Burden

20.2%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

20.2%

Owners without a mortgage

11.3%

Renters

45.3%

Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Hamilton County	Tennessee	United States
Property value
Median Value	$312,800	$286,700	$332,700
Under $100,000	6.8%	13%	11.4%
$100,000 - $200,000	16.3%	18.5%	15.8%
$200,000 - $300,000	24.2%	21%	17.8%
$300,000 - $500,000	33.7%	28.3%	26.9%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	16%	15.3%	20.9%
$1,000,000 and more	3%	3.8%	7.1%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	59.4%	57.9%	60.6%
Without a mortgage	40.6%	42.1%	39.4%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,608	$1,566	$1,963
Without a mortgage	$520	$464	$638
Gross rent
Median rent	$1,253	$1,189	$1,413

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

37.5%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

Hamilton County 37.5%

Tennessee 31.1%

United States 35.7%

Adults without a high school diploma

8.5%

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Hamilton County 8.5%

Tennessee 10%

United States 10.4%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

83,147

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

5.1%

K–12

68.4%

College / Undergraduate

21.4%

Graduate / Professional

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

40.7%

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

Hamilton County

40.7%

Tennessee

36.1%

United States

40.9%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Hamilton County	Tennessee	United States
Total enrolled (age 3+)	83,147	1,593,794	80,089,790
Nursery / preschool	5.1%	5.4%	5.7%
K–12	68.4%	70.7%	67.6%
Kindergarten	4.9%	5.3%	5%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	21.6%	21%	19.8%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	21.1%	21.9%	21%
High School: Grades 9–12	20.8%	22.5%	21.7%
College or graduate school	26.5%	24%	26.7%
College, undergraduate	21.4%	18.7%	21%
Graduate, professional school	5%	5.3%	5.8%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	40.7%	36.1%	40.9%
School type
Public school	73.4%	79.8%	82%
Private school	26.6%	20.2%	18%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

265,105

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

3.6%

9th-12th, no diploma

4.9%

HS graduate

23.4%

Some college no degree

21.9%

Associates degree

8.8%

Bachelors degree

23.5%

Graduate or professional degree

14%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

55.2% · 44.8%

9th-12th, no diploma

49.3% · 50.7%

HS graduate

49% · 51%

Some college no degree

47.8% · 52.2%

Associates degree

39% · 61%

Bachelors degree

49% · 51%

Graduate or professional degree

45.7% · 54.3%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Hamilton County	Tennessee	United States
Population (25+)	265,105	4,870,330	230,807,303
Less than 9th grade	3.6%	3.7%	4.7%
9th–12th, no diploma	4.9%	6.3%	5.7%
High school diploma or GED	23.4%	31.2%	26%
Some college, no degree	21.9%	19.9%	19.1%
Associate's degree	8.8%	7.9%	8.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	37.5%	31.1%	35.7%
Bachelor's degree	23.5%	19.4%	21.6%
Graduate or professional	14%	11.7%	14.1%
High School or higher	91.5%	90%	89.6%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$50,555

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$28,607

HS graduate

$38,431

Some college or associates

$45,491

Bachelors degree

$64,862

Graduate or professional degree

$81,706

Poverty Rate

3.8%

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

27.3%

HS graduate

15.1%

Some college or associates

9.2%

Bachelors degree or higher

3.8%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Hamilton County	Tennessee	United States
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$50,555	$48,058	$52,696
Less than high school graduate	$28,607	$31,689	$32,485
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$38,431	$38,347	$40,153
Some college or associate's degree	$45,491	$44,566	$47,260
Bachelor's degree	$64,862	$61,810	$70,044
Graduate or professional degree	$81,706	$76,817	$90,720
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	27.3%	27.9%	24.2%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	15.1%	15.1%	14.4%
Some college or associate's degree	9.2%	9.7%	9.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	3.8%	4.3%	4.5%

Insights for Hamilton County, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.

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